Tiberiu
Tiberiu '''was a Gangrel in service of Voivode Radu of Bistritz, and later Dracula himself, in Transylvania. He acted as messenger, diplomat, spy and carriage coachman throughout the centuries. Biography After the violent death of his sire, Tiberiu chose to serve Arnulf, the Gangrel Inconnu who sired Mitru the Hunter and dozens of other Gangrel throughout Eastern Europe, in his quest to take the wilderness back for the Gangrel and destroy the growing cities. Tiberiu was first employed as part of a campaign against the mortal city of Hermanstadt. With typical Gangrel fury, Arnulf’s newest prodigy was eager to command the packs of wolves in the forest and assault a nearby castle built on a hill overlooking the town. He was so skilled at commanding these packs that the Cainites residing in the fortress overlooking the city (Zelios the Master Mason and Marusca, his newly created childe) never discovered the tactician behind these assaults. Tiberiu was fearful of retribution from Zelios. When the Master Mason’s childe, Marusca, eventually killed the Eastern Lord who was to inhabit the castle, Tiberiu’s fear increased. Radu offered Tiberiu sanctuary as he plotted his next scheme. When news of the Council of Ashes at last reached the two Cainites, Radu decided to petition to join the council. In doing so, he would keep his staunchest ally close and his enemies closer. Thus, he would learn far more than if he simply waged war against them. Through Radu’s politicking, Tiberiu became the messenger between the Seven Domains. As the other princes never suspected Tiberiu’s past, the Gangrel was able to make sure they never found out. Of course, the other princes never suspected that Tiberiu had since declared a Blood Oath to Radu. They were unaware that the messages carried across the dark forests were often relayed to Radu later. Their conspiracy continued, and Tiberiu was informed of many of the most important decisions of the Cainite princes. Even after the fall of the Council of Ashes, Tiberiu possessed a modicum of status among the members of his clan, as he was the former messenger of the coterie of elders who once rule Transylvania. However, bound by oaths of blood, he betrayed many of the secrets he was asked to carry to Count Radu, the Tzimisce who held him in thrall. Tiberiu had become instrumental in carrying the plans of Tzimisce elders from knezate to knezate. It was a golden age to Tiberiu, who possessed one of the most extensive networks of contacts throughout Eastern Europe. Though under the blood oath to Count Radu, Tiberiu still relayed secrets and news to his clanmates and former allies as he rode through the Carpathians in his coach, driven by Vicissitude-sculpted and blood-bound steeds. Not all of those he associated with were allies of his Tzimisce master, but it seemed that not even Radu’s blood could break him completely. When Radu discovered this, he corrected his mistake in ways that would break his Gangrel thrall, by permanently disfiguring him with Vicissitude and binding him to keep a watch on the Land Beyond the Forest. As centuries passed, Tiberiu continued to act as a scout and messenger to the most remote realms of Eastern Europe. Throughout the 19th century, he remained a faithful servant to both Radu Bistri and Vlad Dracula. But when Radu left for the New World, Tiberiu stayed in Transylvania to serve Dracula. Throughout the Victorian Age, those who wished an audience with the Son of the Dragon summoned Tiberiu to Bistria. The mysterious Transylvanian cautiously took them in a rickety coach through the dismal mountain roads leading to Borgo Pass. While Radu remained an anachronism in a rapidly changing world, Dracula wanted to evolve with this new age. In a vain attempt to side with the Camarilla, the Son of the Dragon attempted to set up a series of havens in the heart of London. Tiberiu himself led a solicitor named Renfield, the poor fool who later became Dracula’s favored ghoul, to the castle in Borgo Pass. Just as Tiberiu assisted Vlad in escaping across the Carpathians in the 15th century, the Gangrel minion worked with Renfield to organize his master’s voyage from Varna to Whitby. Dracula’s scheme failed utterly, however, and within a few years, Tiberiu again aided the Son of the Dragon when he fled back to Transylvania. Cardinal Radu was overjoyed to hear of his rival’s failure and immediately returned to Transylvania to exploit further political opportunities. There he learned of the unwholesome activities of the childe of Vassily Taltos, recent victories of the Inquisition and an ancient tome called the Incunabulum Kupalam. Tiberiu was then enlisted to deliver messages to many of Radu’s old confidants, including Nova Arpad and a rather remarkable conspiracy of elders from Transylvania. In the century that followed, Tiberiu continues to serve as a messenger for what was left of the Council of Ashes. He also fared poorly in the struggle against the Beast over the intervening centuries, and took on many aspects of the bears, wolves and bats of his homeland at the foot of the Carpathians. Character Sheet ''Note': Tiberiu displayed those traits during the period of 1450 to 1500 AD. Clan: Gangrel Sire: Harnuth Nature: Survivor Demeanor: Loner Generation: 10th Apparent Age: 23 Physical: Strength 3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 4 Social: Charisma 3, Manipulation 3, Appearance 4 Mental: Perception 3, Intelligence 2, Wits 2 Talents: Alertness 2, Brawl 2, Dodge 2 Skills: Animal Ken 3, Melee 2, Ride (Drive carriage) 4, Stealth 2 Knowledges: Investigation 2, Occult 1 Disciplines: Celerity 5, Animalism 2, Protean 4 Backgrounds: Allies 4, Contacts 5, Mentor 4, Status 2 Virtues: Conviction 3, Instinct 3, Courage 4, Road: Beast 6 Willpower: 6 Sources * Transylvania by Night, p.73 *''Transylvania Chronicles I: Dark Tides Rising, p. 79 *Transylvania Chronicles II: Son of the Dragon, p. 90 *Transylvania Chronicles III: Ill Omens, p. 86 *Transylvania Chronicles IV: The Dragon Ascendant'', p. 86-87 Category:Gangrel (VTM) Category:Vampire: The Dark Ages characters Category:Tenth Generation vampires